Princess Leonor Invested With The Order of The Golden Fleece

In a formal ceremony at the Royal Palace of Madrid on Tuesday at noon, the 12-year-old Princess of Asturias was invested with the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece by her father, King Felipe VI, to mark his fiftieth birthday.

“Today, the Princess of Asturias receives the Collar of the Golden Fleece, deeply rooted in the history of Spain and Europe. An Order that for centuries has been granted – among others and singularly – to the Prince or Princess of Asturias from a very young age, so that over time they know, little by little, the traditions and duties of the Crown and understands the responsibilities that one day they will have to assume,” King Felipe said in his speech during the ceremony.

With a proud smile on his face, the King spoke directly to his firstborn about the responsibilities the Order represents for her: “Your actions – all of them – must be guided by the greater sense of dignity and exemplarity, by honesty and integrity, by the capacity of renunciation and sacrifice, by the permanent spirit of improvement, and by your unreserved dedication to your country and your people.” He ended his speech by saying to Leonor that, as heir to the throne and future monarch, she must “make yours all the worries and joys, all the wishes and feelings of the Spaniards”.

The Order of the Golden Fleece was established in 1430 by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy on the occasion of his marriage to Infanta Isabella of Portugal. The Order, which was split into two – a Spanish branch and an Austrian branch – following the death of the last Habsburg King of Spain, Charles II, in 1700 and the ensuing War of the Spanish Succession between the Houses of Habsburg and Bourbon, is one of the most prestigious in Europe, and in the Spanish branch has been predominantly awarded to reigning monarchs since the reign of Juan Carlos I.

Attending the ceremony were Queen Letizia, Infanta Sofia, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia, Infantas Elena and Margarita, and Jesus Ortiz and Paloma Rocasolano, the Queen’s parents. Members of the Spanish government, including Prime Minster Mariano Rajoy, were also in attendance for Princess Leonor’s first major personal event.

Once she received the Order from the King, Princess Leonor was congratulated by her family, receiving warm hugs and kisses (the young heir dropped into small curtsies for her mother and paternal grandparents).

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Filed under Spain
Tagged Felipe VI of Spain, In-Laws, Infanta Elena Duchess of Lugo, Infanta Sofía of Spain, Juan Carlos I of Spain, Order of the Golden Fleece, Orders, Queen Letizia of Spain, Queen Sofia of Spain, The Princess of Asturias.

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